Plastic container



Nov. 24, 1959 D. L. JOCELYN 2,914,104

PLASTIC CONTAINER Filed April 22, 1957 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. yflazry/as A face 7 2/71 /7 BY 4 l 5 ,srrrdxwz,

Nov. 24, 1959 D. JOCELYN 2,914,104

PLASTIC CONTAINER Filed April 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aelww United States Patent PLASTIC CONTAINER Douglas L. Jocelyn, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Plastray Corporation, Walled Lake, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 22, 1957, Serial No. 654,412

4 Claims. (Cl. 150-.5)

This invention relates to flexible containers and particularly to a container molded from plastic material such as polyethylene and comprising two container members adapted to be releasably joined together around the outer annular edge portions thereof in substantially sealing relation. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention the plastic container comprises a relatively deep receptacle and. a relatively shallow receptacle or tray member fabricated so as to provide a reversible container whereby either receptable may during use form the upper or lower member of the container.

Pursuant to an important object of the invention one of the container members, such as the relatively deep receptacle, is formed with an outwardly projecting reversely curved or rolled rim or flange portion. The other container member, such as the relatively shallow receptacle, is formed with an outwardly extending marginal web portion into which merges a pair of generally vertical wall or flange portions spaced apart to provide a recess for snugly receiving said rolled rim portion. One of said wall or flange portions, such as the outer one, terminates in an outwardly extending marginal brim or finger-grip member and also in an inwardly extending rib flange forming with the inner wall portion an entrance opening into the recess narrower than the rollededge or rim of the other container member. By virtue of the resiliency or yieldability of the plastic material the rolled edge of one of the container members may be readily forced through the narrower entrance opening in the other member thereby seating it snugly in the recess and causing its edge to underlie and be disposed in interlocking relation with the inwardly extending ribflange.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container, such as above defined, which is reversible to enable either container receptacle to form the upper or lower member or section of the container, there being provided a detachable handle, preferably who formed, which may be connected to either container receptacle when utilized as the lower member or section of the container. For example, when the relatively shallow receptacle, above described, forms the lower section of the assembled container the spaced ends of the flexible wire handle may be disposed beneath and in engagement with the marginal web portion of such receptacle. On the other hand, when the relatively deep receptacle forms the lower section of the assembled con-tainer the spaced ends of the wire handle may be disposed beneath and in engaging relation to the rolled rim or flange portion of such receptacle.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a plastic container embodying the present invention.

'Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ice through lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the connecting portions of the container members in separated relation.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a detachable handle connected to the container in one position thereof.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially through lines 6-6 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the detachable handle connected to the container in its position reverse from that shown in Fig. 5'.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the handle connection with the container positioned as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the handle of the container.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of a portion of the handle shown in Fig. 9.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, by way of example, in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the container comprises a relatively deep receptacle 12 having the edge of its side wall 13 flanged to provide an outwardly extending reversely curved annular rim portion 14 terminating in a free edge 14a. The container also comprises a relatively shallow receptacle 15 having an outwardly flaring side wall 16 merging into an outwardly projecting web 17. Merging into the upper annular edge of the side wall 16 and the inner edge of the web 17 is an inner vertical flange member 18. The outer portion of the web 17 forms an outer generally vertically extending flange or wall member 19 spaced from the flange member 18 to form an annular recess or channel 20 having a curved surface preferably shaped to correspond substantially to the shape of the rim portion 14.

The upper edge, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, of the flange member 19 merges into an outwardly extending annular and horizontal brim or border rim 21 which provides a finger-grip member. Projecting inwardly from the upper edge of the flange member or channel wall 19 is an annular rib or flange 22 which overlies the outer portion of the recess 20 and forms with the upper edge of the flange member 18 an annular opening or slot of less width than the width of the rim 14. Since this opening is narrower than the rim 14 the portions 18 and 22 will be yieldingly spread apart when the rim 14 is forced therebetween and seated in the annular channel 20 in the position shown in Fig. 3. In such assembled position the edge 14a of the rim 14 will underlie the annular rib 22 in snug engagement therewith. Thus, the rim 14 will be held in interlocking relation with the rib 22 thereby causing the container receptacles 13, 15 to be connected together against undesirable separation while at the same time being joined together in substantially sealed relation. The container receptacles may be readily separated by manually flexing or depressing the border rim 21 so as to retract or displace outwardly the rib 22 sufliciently to enable the rolled edge 14 to be withdrawn through the space between the flange member 18 and rib 22.

For the purpose of enabling the assembled container to be conveniently carried in either of its positions, such as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 7, there is provided a wire formed detachable handle 25 formed with an upper hand grip portion 26 and laterally spaced somewhat diverging side members 27. Each side member at its lower end is formed with an outwardly projecting reversely bent U- shaped member 28 having an inwardly extending lower portion 28a. Mounted on the inner end of each portion 28a and secured thereto, such as by welding, is an arcuate receptacle engaging and supporting bar or member 29, the member having the same curvature as the annular rim 14 of the receptacle 12 and the annular web 17 of the receptacle 15.

With the container disposed as illustrated in Figs. and 6 with the deep container receptacle 13 uppermost the handle 15 may be attached in position by flexing the members 27' outwardly to cause the bars 29 to clear the edge of the rim 21 and thence contract so as to position the supporting bars beneath the inner portion of web 17, as illustrated in Fig. 6. It will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 5 that the container with its contents may be readily carried through the medium of the handle 25.

When the container is disposed as illustrated in Figs. 7

and 8 with the shallow container receptacle 15 uppermost the handle 15 may be attached in position by flexing the members 27 outwardly to clear the rim 21 and thence contract so as to enable the supporting bars 29 to be disposed within the annular rim portion 14 of the receptacle 12. With the handle thus attached in position as illustrated in Fig. 8 it will again be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 7 that the container with its contents may again be readily carried through the medium of the handle 25.

I claim:

1. A container molded from yieldable plastic material, comprising a pair of receptacles adapted to be releasably joined together, one of said receptacles having the side wall thereof terminating in an outwardly projecting reversely curved annular rim having the free edge thereof spaced from the receptacle wall, the other receptacle having a side wall and pair of outer and inner flange portions joined thereto and forming an annular recess adapted to receive said rim, said outer flange portion terminating in an annular rib extending inwardly and adapted to overlie the free edge of said rim in interlocking relation therewith when said receptacles are joined together.

2. A container molded from yieldable plastic material, comprising a pair of receptacles adapted to be releasably joined together, one of said receptacles having the side wall thereof terminating in an outwardly projecting reversely curved annular rim having the. free edge thereof spaced from the receptacle wall, the other receptacle having a side wall and a pair of outer and inner flange portions joined thereto and forming an annular recess adapted to receive said rim, said outer flange portion terminating in an outwardly extending marginal brim and an inwardly extending rib flange forming with said inner flange portion an entrance opening into the recess of reduced width.

3. A container molded from yieldable plastic material, comprising a pair of receptacles adapted to be releasably joined together, the side wall of one of said receptacles terminating in an outwardly projecting reversely curved channel shaped rim, the side wall of the other receptacle terminating in a pair of outer and inner flange portions spaced apart transversely of the receptacle and forming a channel shaped recesshaving reversely curved walls and within which recess said rim is adapted to have a substantially snug fit, said outer flange portion being formed along the terminus thereof with an inwardly extending flange adapted to overlie the free edge of said rim in engagement therewith when said receptacles are joined together.

4. A container molded from yieldable plastic material, comprising a pair of receptacles adapted to be releasably joined together, the side wall of one of said receptacles terminating in an outwardly projecting reversely curved channel shaped rim, the side wall of the other receptacle terminating in a pair of outer and inner flange portions spaced apart transversely of the receptacle and forming a channel shaped recess adapted to receive said rim, said outer flange portion being formed along the terminus thereof with an inwardly extending flange adapted to overlie the free edge of said rim in engagement therewith when said receptacles are joined together, said inner flange portion having a terminal free edge engageable with the inner surface of the side wall of the first named receptacle when the receptacles are joined together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,285 Jewell Mar. 21, 1933 2,611,639 Sadeck Sept. 23, 1952 2,676,836 Raphael Apr. 27, 1954 2,695,645 Tupper Nov. 30, 1954 2,711,337 Keenan June 21, 1955 2,752,972 Tupper July 3, 1956 2,754,866 Coltman July 17, 1956 2,828,789 Groendyk et al. Apr. 1, 1958 2,833,324 Burroughs .May 6, 1958 

